PCM's Emily chatted with Boh Runga, lead singer and guitarist of the successful New Zealand rock band Stellar. She just released her first solo album, Right Here, in July, which has garnered rave reviews from critics.

Q: So you just released your album...
Boh: I did!

Q: And that was July 14, right?
B: Yeah.

Q: So what have you been doing since then?
B: I actually had to go back to New Zealand. I've got an association with a makeup brand, which just licensed a design - I design jewelry - and they've licensed part of my jewelry design for one of their makeup compacts. And I also had a gig last night, so that was really fun.

Q: Oh cool! Are you touring right now?
B: I'm not at the moment, no. I'm going to get back into sort of doing more gigs when I come back. I'm going away for the next three weeks.

Q: Where are you going?
B: I'm going down to South America, for holiday.

Q: Oh wow! Where exactly are you gonna go?
B: Argentina! I'm going to explore Argentina, it's going to be fun! I've never been there, so..Have you been down that way before?

Q: No, but my roommate went to Chile this past year, and she took a trip to Argentina while she was there, and she loved it. She's told me all about it and now I want to go!
B: Oh, you should! Honestly! I went to Peru and a little bit of Ecuador last year and it was pretty amazing. It's really beautiful.

Q: Yeah, I would love to go, so maybe someday I'll make it down there...So, you're set in L.A right now though, right?
B: I'm based in L.A, yeah.

Q: How is that, compared to living in New Zealand?
B: You have to drive a lot in Los Angeles! And it's such a vast place with so many people in it, so much going on all at once. It's actually a really welcome place to be. I mean, New Zealand is an amazing, amazing country with a lot going on for it, but we're much more sedate in nature. The lifestyle is quite different back in New Zealand. Do you live here, in Los Angeles?

Q: No, I'm actually on the east coast right now.
B: Yeah, I noticed the 302 number...where is that?

Q: It's Delaware.
B: Alright, ok, cool.

Q: It's one of those states people forget about. It's kind of close to Washington, D.C, though.
B: (laughs) Oh. I looked on your website - it's a cool website!

Q: Thanks! So, you're a pretty big name in New Zealand, you're in a band called Stellar, so what's your plan for breaking into the U.S music scene?
B: I've got good people helping me. I don't know, it's a very hard thing to do to get people to pay attention to music - there's so much of it around with so much new stuff coming out all the time. I'm basically just going to keep playing, you know? I think my songs can stand up against a lot of other people's music, and I've been performing for a big chunk of my life.

Q: Do you have trouble going around in New Zealand, like do people recognize you all the time?
B: I have a bit of that (laughs), which is funny, so it's refreshing to come to L.A and I'm just one in the masses. It's kind of cool, I kinda like it.

Q: So you like the anonymity here?
B: Yes, I do. But I realize that I need to just get out there and play...and I like going out and seeing bands as well, so any opportunity to play, if I meet some people who will give me an opportunity to play, I'd love that.

Q: Have you been anywhere else in the U.S? Or is there anywhere that you'd like to go?
B: I have done a little bit of traveling in the U.S. I have a friend who lives in Louisiana. We had Thanksgiving in Lafayette, Louisiana, which was my first American Thanksgiving, and it was amazing! It was such an event! (Laughs) You know, we had the whole turkey, deep fried in a big vat - the guys are all outside standing around the vat with some beers, and the women in the kitchen making candied yams, stuff like that. I just thought, this is such a cool - it's just so different from any of our...

Q: Yeah, that is the way we do it, Thanksgiving!
B: I know! I don't think I've ever eaten so much in my life, either.

Q: Seriously! I know a few people from other countries who can't believe we eat so much in one day, but that's just what we do.
B: It's so much fun, though! You don't have to do much, either, you just digest your food and lie around - it's great! (Laughs) But I do like traveling - I had a chance to go to New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and I've been to New York, which I love. But I haven't been your way - I haven't been to Washington.

Q: Ever been to Philadelphia?
B: I haven't, no. I'd like to go to Philadelphia.

Q: I actually live near Philadelphia. It's a great city - you should definitely come sometime!
B: It's so interesting, each city has its own thing, and history...it's interesting. And San Francisco! I love San Francisco.

Q: Oh, that is a great city!
B: Yeah, it's wonderful to do the drive from L.A, up Big Sur to San Francisco. Beautiful - and the Monterey Aquarium, the jellyfish tank, it's such a beautiful place and it's so well-done and so informative. I was a little disappointed when we had to leave, actually. But I just love going everywhere, to be honest.